Chattanooga: Creating Greenways

Chattanooga: Creating Greenways In the early 1980s, downtown Chattanooga faced the surround the community. TPL’s responsibilities under same challenges as many other riverfront industrial and the agreement included public outreach, fostering manufacturing communities. Storefronts were closed, greenway advocacy groups, assisting with fundraising, and the signature waterway was a blight rather than an and negotiating land acquisitions and easements to be asset. The city, however, had a vision for a more livable conveyed to the city for parks and greenway development. future: with a renewed focus on utilizing the Tennessee River and improving Moccasin Bend, it drafted plans for Project highlights the Tennessee Riverwalk and other greenways. The Trust Tennessee Riverwalk: Drawing on experience building for Public Land saw an opportunity to move from the greenways nationwide, TPL successfully negotiated drawing board to action. the majority of the real estate acquisitions needed to construct this standout, 10-mile linear park. TPL secured TPL’s role ten donations of land within two years in order to make In 1994, The Trust for Public Land (TPL) signed an the Riverwalk possible. agreement with the City of Chattanooga to implement the city’s Greenways Master Plan. The plan called for Riverwalk Extension: TPL is helping the Chattanooga nearly 100 miles of trails and winding walkways along government and civic leaders in an effort to extend the the edge of the Tennessee River and the ridges that Riverwalk by five miles. The alignment of this section A project of The Trust for Public Land’s Conservation Vision program will weave through redeveloping industrial land to impact and encourage future investments—an exciting intersection of conservation and economic revival. South Chickamauga Creek Greenway: This proposed 14-mile greenway will connect approximately 30,000 neighbors to a linear park that will ultimately join the Tennessee Riverpark. TPL successfully negotiated with 25 landowners along this creek to gain land protection and permission to construct a trail. Results TPL is the City of Chattanooga’s primary partner in the development of its nationally recognized greenway system. In the past decade, TPL has secured almost 600 acres of land for more than 45 miles of trails that connect neighborhoods, schools, businesses, and parks with the Tennessee River waterfront and its tributaries. TPL stretched limited city funding by acquiring 80 percent of this property through land donations—a savings of $4.2 million to the city—and securing $9 million for capital improvement, acquisitions, and “The staff at The Trust For Public Land have planning from private, state, and federal sources. TPL been indispensable to our [conservation] efforts also served as construction manager for three projects, to build the Tennessee Riverpark and extend including two trails. Today, tens of thousands of people the riverwalk system with greenways into the enjoy more active, healthy lifestyles thanks to their surrounding neighborhoods. The Chattanooga proximity to bike and walking trails, parks, and blueways community has made remarkable progress for canoeists and kayakers. building this wonderful asset. It would have taken years, perhaps even decades longer without TPL’s knowledge and professional support.” —Jim Bowen, vice president, RiverCity Company The Trust for Public Land conserves For more information: land for people to enjoy as parks, Rick Wood gardens, and other natural places, Area Director, Chattanooga Projects The Trust for Public Land ensuring livable communities for 423.265.5229 generations to come. [email protected] City of Chattanooga The Leadership Council RiverCity Company The Lyndhurst Foundation Photos: Darcy Kiefel. Tennessee Department of Transportation Printed on 100% recycled paper. ©2011 The Trust for Public Land.

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